Apparatus for use in manufacturing potteryware



June 25, 1946. w. J. MILLER APPARATUS FOR USE IN MANUFACTURINGPOTTERYWARE Original Filed Jan. 13, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.WmLLAMJMELER g 2 I A;"%RNEY.

III In in H1 F ig 1.

June 25, 1946. w. J. MILLER I APPARATUS FOR USE IN MANUFACTURINGPOTTERYWARE Original Filed Jan. 13, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet *2 William 1.Miller. W @1335.

June 25, 1946- w. J. MlLLEi.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN MANUFACTURING POTTERYWARE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 OriginalFil'ed Jan. 15, 1944' mk\ HID Mk INVENTOR. William Miller 'ITORNEY.

Patented June 25,- 1946 J. Miller, Swissvale, Pa, assigns: to MillerPottery Engineering Company, Swissvaie, Pa, a corporation ofPennsylvania Original application January is, 1944, Serial No. 518,079.Divided and um application January 28,1944,SerialNo.519,994

(CI. 25-22) I Claims.

This is a division of my application Serial Number 518,079, fliedJanuary 13, 1944.

This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing pottery ware. 'Ithas to do with automatic machinery for feeding clay to plaster molds inmaking dinnerware articles and the like automatically. I

In certain types of automatic dinnerware forming machinery having anintermittently rotating mold table, for instance that disclosed in thepatent to W. H. Emerson, 2,321,471, the molds are carried in the moldforks thereof in single file to the feeding station, where disc-likeblanksof clay are cut off from a column of clay and fed thereto and thento a pressing and a Jlggering station where the blanks are spread overthe were forming surface and profiled respectively. Only articles havingthe same form are made in succession in the single line of productionwhich may-contain several thousand molds, because there is only one dieand one profile, serving the line.

To change the production to some other form of ware requires exchangingthe die, profile tool and all of the molds besides making certainadjustments to feeding preforming, jiggering apparatus as well as otheroperating parts of the machinery. Where the amount and kind of ware tobe made on the machinery during the day's operation is even moderatelydiversifled, the production time lost making changeovers may result inserious depreciation in the savings in the cost of manufacture of theware. In the majority of commercial potteries there is considerablevariation daily, in the amount and kind of ware made because ofdifferences in the consist of an ordinary dinnerware set and differencesin the form of the consist as between dinnerware sets it beingcharacteristic of the industry to provide a Jarge variety of shapes fromwhich to select.

One object of this invention is to periodically cut oil and feed todiverse molds therebelow disclike blanks or charges of clay fromintermittently advanced columns of clay of the same or diflerentcomposition, the diameter and thickness of .the charges to beselectively predeterminedand from one or the other of a pair of tubesthrough a. single outlet common to both instead of individual outlets,to a continuously operated cut oil means above the mold indexing table,and to automatically switch from one tube to the other when one becomesempty to thereby maintain a be noted in the following detaileddescription and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a piping diagram of the hydraulic system associated with theclay feed tubes.

Figure 2 is a section view of a changeover valve incorporated in thehydraulic system of Figure 1 for switching the feed from one clay tubeto another.

FigureS is a detail, partly in section of one of the plunger pumpsincorporated in the hydraulic system of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section view of a pilot valve incorporated in thehydraulic system of Figure 7.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the twin feed tubes illustrating how clay maybe supplied to each from plural magazines.

Figure 6 is a detail in elevation, partly in section of the dischargeend of one of the twin feed tubes showing the charge cutting-oil means.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing a portion of an automatic .iiggeringmachine with the clay supplyin and charge cut oi! mechanism associatedtherewith.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating how the clay magazines are attached tothe feed tubes.

Figure 9 is a detail in side elevation of one of the feed tubes ofFigure 5 showing the twin supply tubes.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a twelve ring timer andvalves for system of Figure 1.

Empty molds M are transferred by carriers It to station C in registerwith the stationary outlet end of an overhead feed tube I Figure 7 and amold lifter ll Figure 6 and chuck II in which the mold is received, themold lifter and chuck .mechanism that enables automatic alternation ofthe feeding of charges between the stations specified. This station alsohas an overhead feed tube 84' Figure 'l and a chuck "and mold lifter IIIthe same as that shown in Figure 6.

With reference to Figure 6, which illustrates part ofthe feeder atstation C, the feed tube 84 is detachably screwed onto hollow conduit 81in I order that it may be adjusted vertically and/or replaced with tubeshaving diflerent inside diameters to thereby vary the diameter of thecircular charge to be produced. Conduit 81 is flanged at 58 and projectsthrough an oversize hole 88 in support 80 thereby enabling axialadjustment relative to chuck, 88. Conduit 81 is axially aligned with andconnected in leakproof sealed relation to the flanged outer end of thevertical section of a hollow, elbow shaped Y tube 82, Figures 2 and 9.Each Y portion oi the tube has connected thereto in leakproofsealedrelation a replaceable magazine 88 of hollow cylindricalconstruction, flanged at both ends and supported, by cradles ,84 and 85,fore and aft,- the front cradles being in the form of a split collarpipe clamp with lock 88 associated therewith for locking the magazine infeeding position. When a magazine becomes empty, the feed isautomatically shifted to the other magazine so that a supply of claywill always be available at the outlet end of tube 84 while the emptymagazine is being refilled and replaced. -Where it is desired to changethe feed with hydraulically actuated apparatus, including twin rams 88and 88' for forcing clay from the one over the other although they may,if desired,

be spaced circumferentially of the timer.

The timer makes one complete revolution in the same interval of timerequired for the intermittently rotating spider 5 to make one completerevolution.

Each pump comprises a piston chamber 88,

in a set are connected by branch lines 80, each having a check valve 8|therein, to a main header 82 leading to a tank 98 containing hydraulicfluid. The outlets of all pumps'in a set are connected by branch lines8|, each having a check valve 98 therein to a main header v88 leading toport 91 of valve 88, Figures land 2, operable to automaticallydiscontinue the clay pumping action of one ram, for instance 88 Figure5, when the magazine .with which it is associated is emptied of clay andstart the other ram I0. This is accomplished in the followingmanner.

. The pressure fluid pumped into header 98, Fi ure 1, by each individualpump forces fluid in the line through port 91 of valve 98 and thencerefill magazines through the feed tubes 54 at each station to thecutting wire therebelow. In the actuation and control of the hydraulicsystem of each station I propose to employ either a single timer 11,Figure 10, common to both stations C and D or independent timers 11 ofthe type illustrated in Figure 1 individual to each system. Since thesystems are identical and operate alike only one of them has been fullyillustrated and described, this being shown in Figure 10 equipped withan individual timer II it being understood that in actual practice, thetwin rams 88 and 88 of station C, Figure 5, and the twin rams 88 and 88of station D, would each be provided with the hydraulic system ofFigurei and operated either with a single timer, Figures 7 and 10, orindependent timer, Figure 1. In either event the timer drive isco-ordinated with the rotation of the mold support I0 about the axis ofshaft 2 in order to deliver clay to-the cut-off wire at stations C and Din timed relation with the presentation I of molds at either one or bothof said stations.

With reference to Figure 1, the hydraulic system of station C or Dcomprises a vertical series of six pumps, ll, 12, 13, H, 15 and 18, tobe actuated by a timer 11 having cam rollers I8 mounted on the peripheryof cam rings 19 that are angularly adjustable while in operation bymeans of control knobs 80 as is customary in timers of this type. Thesepumps control the amount of clay extruded through the feed tubes andregulate the volume of clay contained in individual charges. The ringsI9 are rotated together and continuously by means of shaft 8I, sprocket82, Figures 1 and 'I, and chain 88, connected to a sprocket 84, flxedoncontinuously rotating hollow shaft 20 forming a part of the warefabricating machine 33. The pumps are vertically positioned through openport 99 between movable discs I08 and I09into pipe I00 leading to thepiston cylinder of ram 88. As piston II advances in cylinder 88, fluidisforced out of said chamber through line IM and opens port 0' into thevalve chamber between movable disc I28 and the stationary centraldividing wall I88 of valve 98, and then into passage I28 and out throughport I28 into .a return line I21 leading to tank 8'. When the ram head89 reaches its forward limit of travel in magazine 88, line IN is closedby piston II and the increase in fluid pressure in line I00 thereuponacts to increase the fluid pressure in line I02 leading to adjustablepilot valve I08, Figure 4, and opens valve I03 by depressing piston I04against adjustable spring tension thereby opening outlet line I08leading to piston chamber. I08, Figure 2 in the left end of the housingof valve 88. Fluid in the lower part of valve I03 that is displaced bypiston I04 enters line I08 leading to tank 88 Figure 1. Pressure fluidentering chamber I08, Figure 2, shifts piston rod I0I to the rightthereby causing disc I08 fixed thereon to move to the right of port I I0thereby establishing communication between line II8 leading to thepiston cylinder of ram 68 and port 91, Figure connected to the pump line98, Figure l.

As piston ll advances in cylinder 88, fluid is I forced out of thechamber through line I22 and sage I28' and port I28 into return lineI21. When piston Il' reaches its limit of forward movement the increasedpressure in line I I3 opens pilot valve Ill (having the sameconstruction as pilot valve I08, Figure 4) permitting fluid underpressure in line I I8 to flow into piston chamber I I8, Figure 2, andshift piston rod M1 to the left to again connect line I00 to pressurepumps III8 and start ram 88. v

To retract ram head 89' from its magazine 88 when the feed is switchedto ram 88 a motor driven pump I I1, Figure 1. forces fluid from tank II8into line 9 leadingto port I20 in valve 98 and thence through port I2Iinto line I22 leading ner.

branch.

posits side thereof being towed through line I I2 and port III intovalve 90 and then through pas-1 sage I23 and port I23 into line I24which'discharges into tank 53. When the i'eed is changed from ram 00 toremit the movement of piston 'rod m to the right, mine 2, shifts disc into line III opens relief valve I30 and .by-passes fluid from the pumpinto tankv II3 through line' It is desired to close off the idle branchof the Y 02 to preclude back extrusion of material therethrough whenclay is flowing through the other branch and for this purpose, a pivotedgate I32 is located interiorly of the conduit at the Junction of thebranches of the Y and is automatically operated from the exterior in thefollowing man- An arm I33, Figure 5, is attached to the pivot shaft ofgate I32 and is pivotally connected to the piston rod I34 of pivotallymoimted air cylinder I35. Flexible fluid lines, I36 and .I3I leadingfrom opposite ends of the cylinder are connected to a valve I30 which isidentical with valve 30 except that it has a single chamber as would berepresented by' the structure on the right side of a dividing partitionI38 Figure 2. Thus when changing from ram 60 to mm 1.0, the increase inpressure in line I05 also increases in line I33, see Figures 1 and 5, tothereby move piston rod I01 from right to left thereby permitting airunder pressure to flow from tank -I40 ;through line I, valve I, and theline I 38 into cylinder I35 to move the piston toward the opposite endof the cylinder and swing gate I32 versing the movement of the piston incylinder I35 and swinging gate I32 into position to close of! the leftbranch of the Y and open the right Each pump may be individuallyregulated and set while the machine is at rest or in operation todeliver a predetermined amount of incompressible fluid proportionallyequal to the amount of When changing from ram 60' to ram '53, 3

incompressible clay to be extruded past the cutto control the feed atstations C "and D, a timer- "II, Figure 10, having twelve rings butotherwise identical with the timer I1, may be employed.

In this event the pumps II to 16 inclusive of the hydraulic systemassociated with station C. would be located above and in verticalalignment with a lower set of pumps II to 10' inclusive associated withthe hydraulic system for the rams of station D which, as explainedbefore, is identical with that shown in Figure 1.

Thus with either a dual or single timer arrangement many variations inthe feedingof charges of .clay to molds at either one or both stationsis possible. For instance, all the charges to be fed a given group ofmolds may be applied 'at either station C or station D if it is desiredto feed through one tube only. This might occur where all of the chargeshave the same diameter and vary only in thickness. If two timers arebeing employed, the timer not in use may be disconnected from the maindrive or if a single I2 ring timer'is being employed, six of the camrollers may simplybe removed from their pins to render six pumpsinoperative.

In making laminated ware, that is to say ware having two thicknesses ofmaterial of different color, composition or co-efllcient of expansion,one charge may be fed at station C and another charge deposited; on topthereof at station D.

The thickness and diameter of either charge may 6r different dependingon the re-' Inlald Were can be produced by utilizing the.

feeder at station C to apply the desired design to the molding surfacefirst and the feeder at station D to apply the body of the ware over thedesign which may be of clay having a contrasting color. The feeder at Ccan easily be converted to produce individual decorative designs of clayby screwing anadapter into the end of the nozzle which has properlyformed extrusion holes therethrough to give the extrusion the propercross sectional shape.

Successive molds in a group may also be fed single charges insuccession. This would be accomplished by adjusting the timer to imparttwo feeding impulses simultaneously, one at each station, and then beidle for the next two movements of the mold support in order to removethe filled molds from the feeding portions and move two empty molds intoposition for receiving charges of clay. Thus the charges fed tosuccessive molds may vary in diameter, thickness, weight, volume, colorand composition.

If desired, the Y 02 may be replaced at both stations C and D by anelbow 51', Figure 8. In this event one of the magazines 03, Figure 1,would be installed at station C and the other at station D. Thus thehydraulic system of Figure 1 would operate to control the feed betweentwo feedingstations rather than between two rams serving a singlestation. With this arrangement, molds are fed with clay at station Cuntil the magazine 83 thereat is emptied of clay, and thenthe clay feedis automatically switched to station D.

The clay issuing from tubes 54 at stations C and D is cut off anddeposited on the molds by the following apparatus: surrounding eachnozzle 54 is a ring gear I45, Figure 6, whose axis is eccentric to thatof the nozzle. The inside periphery of each ring I45 has a groove I40 inwhich three angularly spaced rollers I", Figure 7, are received. Theserollers are carried by a spider I48 having a hub I49 sleeved onthe tubeand secured thereto by set screw I49f to thereby supportthe rings I45.for rotation about axis that are eccentric to the vertical axis ofthe tubes 51 at stations C and D.

To rotate rings I45, each is provided with an externally toothed surfaceI53 which meshes with a gear I54 between the two fixed on a verticaldrive shaft I55, Figures 7 and 6, Journaled at the upper end in abearing I56 in a supporting frame I5I, having attaching collars I50 atthe extremities to be sleeved on the feedtubs 51 at C and D. The lowerend of shaft 155, is iournaled in a bearing outside the main housing ofmachine 33 and is proyided with a sprocket I50, Figure '1,

driven by chain IBI connected to sprocket'lfl Ill is a post I", Figure6, which projects downwardly and carries a horizontal wire tensioningscrew 164 with a notch I85 at the end to receive one end of a cuttingwire I". The other end of the wire is attached to a vertical pin illfreely rotatable in a bracket I88 attached to and depending from one ofthe spider arms of each spider in such position that pins I81 arelocated on the axis of rotation of each gear 5. Thus. as each ring isrotated, each cutting wire is caused to pass below the nozzle 54 withwhich it is associatedonce for every complete revolution of the ringgear to which it is attached to thereby sever a charge of clay from theextrusion and deposit said charge on a mold therebelow.

The cutting wires operate continuously regard- )less of whether the tubeis idle or not and they are synchronized with the indexing of molds atthe feeding positions and are geared so as to make six completerevolutions to one complete revolution of the upper table 35 and tostart the cutting operation incident to the movement of a mold intoregister with the nozzle 54 at the feeding position or positions.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding plastic material to a cutting of! station at anon-uniform rate for making potteryware of different character,comprising a conduit to be filled with plastic material, a plunger forforcing said material out one end of said conduit, a piston for movingsaid plunger, an hydraulic cylinder housing said piston, a' plurality ofpumps for pumping liquid into said cylinder to move the plunger forwardthrough said conduit, means for adjusting the stroke of each pumpindependently of the others to thereby predetermine the amount ofmaterial contained in successive charges to be segregated at the cuttingoff station and means for actuating said pumps.

2. Apparatus for feeding plastic material to a cutting off station,comprising a conduit to be illledwith plastic material, a plunger forforcing said material out one end ofsaid conduit, a piston for movingsaid plunger, an hydraulic cylinder housing said piston, a plurality ofpumps for pumping liquid into said cylinder to move the pump deliveringto said cylinder a quantity of 4. Apparatus for feeding plastic materialto a cutting oi! station comprising a conduit to be filled with plasticmaterial, a plunger for forcing said material out one end of said con-,duit, a piston for moving said plunger, an hydraulic cylinder housingsaid piston, pumping means for pumping liquid into said cylinder to movethe plunger forward through said conduit and means for varying thequantities of fluid delivered in successive impulses of the pumpingmeans to thereby vary the volume of material contained. in successivecharges.

5. Apparatus for feeding plastic material to a cutting off stationcomprising a conduit to be filled with plastic material, a plunger forforcing said material out one end of said conduit, a piston for movingsaid plunger, an hydraulic cylinder housing said piston, pumping meansfor pumping liquid into said cylinder to move the plunger forwardthrough the conduit, means for varying the quantities of fluid deliveredin successive impulses of the pumping means to thereby vary the volumeof material contained in successive charges and means for regulating thetime of delivery of the successive quantities of fluid.

6. Apparatus fox-extruding a column of plastic clay for segregation intoa plurality of separate charges of non-uniform volume for makingpotteryware of different character comprising a tubular. member forhousing a body of plastic clay and having a discharge outlet at one end,a plunger in said tubular member, a piston for moving said plungerforward to extrude clay through said discharge outlet, an hydrauliccylinder housing said piston, variable stroke hydraulic pumping meansoperable to deliver to said cylinder different quantities of fluid forsuccessive strokes in a predetermined cycle of strokes whereby chargesof non-uniform volume are extruded in succession in successive series.

7. Apparatus for feeding material to a cutting of! station comprising apair of tubular members arranged to discharge through a common outlet, agate in-each tubular member, a pair of plungers for forcing material outof said tubular members, liquid pumping means for moving the plungersforwardly alternately independently of each other, and means actuated bya momentary increase in hydraulic pressure caused by one of the plungersreaching the forward limit of its stroke for retracting the plunger andclosing the gate inthe tubular member associated therewith so that saidtubular member can be recharged with clay while the other plunger isforcing clay fluid proportional to the amount of material to becontained in a single charge.

3. Apparatus for feeding plastic material to a cutting off station,comprising a conduit to be filled with plastic material, a plunger forforcing said material out one end of'said conduit, a piston for movingsaid plunger, an hydraulic cylinder housing said piston, a plurality ofpumps for pumping liquid into said cylinder to move the plunger forwardthrough said conduit, means for actuating said pumps in successiveorder, each pump delivering to said cylinder a quantity of fluidproportional to the amount of material to be contained in a singlecharge, means for varying the quantity of fluid delivered by each pumpto thereby .vary the volume of material contained in each successivecharge and actuating means out of the other tubular member.

8. Apparatus for feeding material to a cutting of! station comprising apair of tubular members arranged to discharge through a common outlet,

for said pumps having means for varying the time of delivery of fluid ofeach pump independently of the others.

a gate in each tubular member, a pair of plungers for forcing materialout of said tubular. members,

liquid pumping means for moving the plungers alternately independentlyof each other to force plunger mounted in alignment with each'inlet, a

tubular magazine connected to each inlet adapted to receive a plungerfor forcing clay from said 10 ceasively presented molds comprising aconduit having an extrusion outlet above said cutting wire, a tubularmember to be tilled with clay. a plunger for forcing clay from saidtubular memher into the conduit, liquid pumping means for delivering agiven quantity of fluid each stroke oi the pumping means to iorce anamount of material from the conduit equal to one mold charge and meansfor changing the time oi delivery of the pump relative to the stroke oithe cutting wire.

WILLIAM J. MILLER.

